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Monday, March 05, 2018

Patients set to benefit from new CT scanner in St. James

ST. JAMES, Minn. — Patients at Mayo Clinic Health System in St. James will now experience a smoother, more comfortable imaging experience. Late last month, the medical center installed a new, state-of-the-art CT scanner, which uses X-rays to produce cross-sectional images of the body. The total investment was about $535,000.

“This new machine produces better image resolution, more efficient scan times and lower doses of radiation than the previous model,” says Crystal Chapman, Mayo Clinic Health System in St. James radiology manager. “In effect, patients receive faster, safer care, and the Radiology team has higher quality imaging to help them with analysis.”

During a scan, CTs separate images of the patient into half-millimeter sections called slices — much like a loaf of bread, explains Chapman. The more slices, the more accurate and efficient the scan. The new machine at Mayo Clinic Health System in St. James is an 80-slice unit, replacing the facility’s previous 16-slice unit.

“The availability of a high-tech, brand new CT scanner in a rural setting is wonderful,” adds Chapman. “Patients and staff are benefitting from having these additional capabilities and technology closer to where they live.”

Mayo Clinic Health System consists of clinics, hospitals and other health care facilities that serve the health care needs of people in more than 60 communities in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The community-based providers, paired with the resources and expertise of Mayo Clinic, enable patients in the region to receive the highest-quality health care close to home.